THOUSANDS of people across Birmingham are being duped by a company offering a "free radio".

THOUSANDS of people across Birmingham are being duped by a company offering a "free radio".

The offer emerged after people were sent what looked like a delivery note through the post.

The affair is now being investigated by a premium phone rate services regulator after complaints from people who ended up paying more than £5 to confirm the offer.

The note from Glide Delivery, which carries a Royal Mail "postage paid" logo, tells the recipient they have a portable FM radio waiting to be collected from a post office.

Calls are charged at £1.50 a minute to obtain details.

Birmingham city councillor Peter Douglas Osborn (Con, Weoley) whose wife Ruth received one of the notes, said: "It looks like a delivery note. It worries me that the Royal Mail would be associated with anything like this."

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: "We apologise to any customers who have been confused by this mailing, believing it to be linked to us."

The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) said that Happy Valley Promotions Ltd, of Sale, Cheshire, had been fined £1,500 for operating a misleading service.

An ICSTIS spokesman said: "We have received complaints about the service and have written to Glide Delivery and Family Fun Promotions giving them until December 16 to amend the material.

"This is not a delivery service but a commercial venture."

Family Fun Promotions said: "We have worked with ICSTIS to amend our material. We never intended to mislead anyone. If they do dial the number they will receive a radio."